South Floridians weren’t the only ones sizzling in record summer heat . It was the warmest season ever in the southeastern U.S. – and the fourth hottest on record nationwide, according to a report by the National Climate Data Center.

The National Weather Service reported last week that Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade had the warmest summer (June through August) on record.

Florida as a whole experienced one of the warmest summers on the books, and August was the second hottest ever statewide, the NCDC said.

Absolute summer heat records were also set in Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

“Fourteen other states had an August temperature among their warmest ten percent,” the NCDC report added. “No state experienced an average temperature significantly below its long term average.”

Only three states reported near normal summer temperatures: California, Wyoming and South Dakota. Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington saw below normal summer temperatures.

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TROPICS CHECK: The National Hurricane Center discontinued tracking on ex-Tropical Storm Gaston, which was giving Jamaica some blustery weather Thursday but apparently posed no further development threat.

Instead, forecasters began following a new system in the southeastern Caribbean, Invest 92L. They gave the storm a medium chance of becoming a tropical depression, or Tropical Storm Julia, by this weekend. Most computer models show 92L tracking toward the Yucatan.

In the far eastern Atlantic, Tropical Storm Igor was barely hanging on to tropical storm strength, but the NHC still predicts it will be a hurricane by Sunday. Right now, chances look good that Igor will turn north into the open Atlantic and not impact land.

About the Author

John Nelander is a freelance writer, book editor and publisher in West Palm Beach. Weather Matters features news and observations about the weather with a focus on what's happening in South Florida. The blog also looks at the latest studies on climate change as well as what's happening in the weather forecasting biz. His website is www.pbeditorialservices.com.